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Local Food News — Ontario

We are growing out of an ongoing dialogue among city and rural inhabitants who care passionately about food safety and access. This dialogue is excited by a belief that we can imagine diverse ways and means to care for the lands to ensure their potential. Over the weeks ahead, we’ll post stories about the Lands and its inhabitants, human and not-human, as well conversations with people who are coming up with innovative and exciting ways to re-envision how we produce food. Website.

Halton Healthcare Hosts Local Food Expo

Halton Healthcare is celebrating Local Food Week, designated from June 4th to 10th, by hosting a Local Food Expo. The Expo will be held on Thursday, June 8, 2017 from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm in the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital (OTMH) cafeteria. “We are very excited to be able to host this food expo at our new Oakville Hospital, and we hope it will be the first of many. We invite everyone from all our Halton Healthcare communities, as well as our staff, physicians and volunteers to join us,” explains Marianne Katusin, Manager, Food Services. “Come out and taste samples, purchase treats and talk to the growers and manufacturers themselves.” Halton Healthcare post.

Ontario invests in local food access to support agriculture and agri-food sector

Jeff Leal, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, made the announcement along with Burkhard Mausberg, CEO of the Greenbelt Fund, at McLean Farms in Peterborough. This investment includes a $15,000 grant to Farms at Work to partner with Transition Town Peterborough to strengthen the impact and sustainability of Peterborough Local Food Month. Farms at Work’s project is one of 24 new projects across Ontario, totalling over $800,000 in new investments from the Greenbelt Fund through the province’s Local Food Investment Fund program. Eastern Ontario AgriNews story.

Land Over Landings

To oppose the irresponsible and politically motivated plans for an unneeded Pickering airport and urban/industrial development on the federally expropriated lands of Durham Region. To educate the public on transit and transportation options, on the importance of protecting watersheds, and on a viable agricultural alternative to the political plan to industrialize this area. Facebook page.

Sharing On-Farm Success: Great Lakes Goat Dairy

The Sjaardas operate Great Lakes Goat Dairy near Wyoming, Ontario. They milk 550 goats. And with additional milk from local farmers, they’ve built a successful goat cheese business that takes their products right to the consumer’s front door. Sjaarda says making great cheese is essential for their success. But they also need to get their product to market. See how the Sjaarda’s tapped into Growing Forward 2 to build an online ordering system. YouTube video.

Black Creek Food Justice Network

We are a working group of Black Creek residents and local community orgs working for food security and social justice in our community and beyond. Facebook page.

Say cheese – and deli!

The two culinary veterans will unveil new cheese recipes, exclusive local and international products and revamped catering options. “Our guests are always looking to discover and expand their tastes which is why partnering with Cheese Boutique was a natural progression … we are very excited to offer our customers new cheese and charcuterie boards, recipes and introduce them to new flavours.” Toronto Sun story.

Seed fund investment helps local gourmet food processor double sales in only one year

As the local food movement took hold, owner Will Rootham-Roberts started seeing increased interest in locally made and sourced small-batch gourmet condiments. He recognized an opportunity for the family-owned company to expand and offer Ontario farmers the possibility of creating and selling shelf-stable jams, jellies and sauces from their own locally grown produce. But he needed help turning that vision into reality – help he received from Bioenterprise in the form of a grant from the Bioenterprise Seed Fund. AgInnovation Ontario post.

Province Launching Consultations on Northern Livestock Pilot Project

Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Jeff Leal met with Indigenous partners, local municipalities, livestock organizations and industry today in Timmins to discuss the Northern Livestock Pilot project and kick off consultations with stakeholders and communities on supporting viable agriculture in the North. Government of Ontario news release.

Northern Ontario the place to farm

When northwestern Ontario comes up in conversation, it’s usually mentioned in a story about an eight-hour, mind numbing drive through rocks, trees and more rocks. For Jason, the region is the undiscovered gem of Canadian agriculture. “This, in my opinion, is one of the best places to farm in Canada,” said Jason, cow-calf director with Beef Farmers of Ontario. “Before any young person buys a farm anywhere in Canada, take two weeks of holidays and travel across northern Ontario.” Western Producer story.

AND IF YOU HAVE TIME

Lock up your manure!

Norfolk OPP is following up on a Radical Road, Woodhouse, manure theft reported Monday, May 15. Police say a man in a van visited the property that day and the day before and removed manure. The owner confronted the man, who then left southbound on Port Ryerse Road. The owner got the licence plate from the retreating ‘manure wagon’ and was able to supply it to police, who say they will be contacting its owner. Norfolk News story.